Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) yields depend on date, method and sowing density. The objective of this research was to study the effect of the method and sowing density on intermediate and late sowing dates on the grain yield of two wheat cultivars. In the fall-winter seasons of2006-2008, two sowing dates (December 22 and January 12), four sowing methods (conventional flat sowing of four and six rows and raised bed sowing of two and three rows), four plant densities (60, 120, 180 and 240 kg seed ha-1) and two cultivars (Bárcenas S2002 and Josecha F2007), were evaluated. The experimental design was a randomized block with a split-plot arrangement with four replications. The highest yield was obtained in the first sowing date in the two cycles (p < 0.01). The conventional flat methods outperformed the sowing in rows (p < 0.01). The seeding rate of 180 kg ha-1 exceeded densities of 60 and 120 and equaled or exceeded that of 240 kg ha-1. The variety Josecha F2007 outperformed Bárcenas S2002 in 2006-2007. Sowings in late December and early January with 180 kg ha-1 seed outperformed the regional control with 240 kg ha-1 and that recommend for this region with 120 kg ha-1.

Los rendimientos de trigo (Triticum aestivum L.) dependen de la fecha, método y densidad de siembra. El objetivo de esta investigación fue estudiar el efecto del método y la densidad de siembra en fechas de siembra intermedias y tardías sobre el rendimiento del grano de dos cultivares de trigo. En los ciclos otoño-invierno de 2006 a 2008 se evaluaron dos fechas de siembra (22 de diciembre y 12 de enero), cuatro métodos de siembra (melgas de cuatro y seis hileras y surcos de dos y tres hileras), cuatro densidades de siembra (60, 120, 180 y 240 kg semilla ha-1) y dos cultivares (Bárcenas S2002 y Josecha F2007). El diseño experimental fue de bloques al azar con un arreglo en parcelas sub subdivididas, con cuatro repeticiones. El rendimiento mayor se obtuvo en la primera fecha de siembra en los dos ciclos (p < 0.01). Los métodos en melgas superaron el rendimiento de la siembra en surcos (p <0.01). La densidad de siembra de 180 kg ha-1 superó a las de 60 y 120 e igualó o superó a la de 240 kg ha-1. La variedad Josecha F2007 superó el rendimiento de Bárcenas S2002 en el ciclo 2006-2007. En las siembras de finales de diciembre y principios de enero con 180 kg ha-1 de semilla supera al testigo regional con 240 kg ha-1 y a la recomendada para esta región de 120 kg ha-1.

Adjuvants have been considered for a long time to be an accessory and empirical component of vaccine formulations. However, accumulating evidence of their crucial role in initiating and directing the immune response has increased our awareness of the importance of adjuvant research in the past decade. Nevertheless, the importance of adjuvants still is not fully realized by many researchers working in the vaccine field, who are involved mostly in the search for better target antigens. The choice of a proper adjuvant can be determinant for obtaining the best results for a given vaccine candidate, but it is restricted due to intellectual property and know-how issues. Consequently, in most cases the selected adjuvant continues to be the aluminum salt, which has a record of safety, but predominantly constitutes a delivery system (DS). Ideally, new strategies should combine immune potentiators (IP) and DS by mixing both compounds or by obtaining structures that contain both IP and DS. In addition, the term immune polarizer has been introduced as an essential concept in the vaccine design strategies. Here, we review the theme, with emphasis on the discussion of the few licensed new adjuvants, the need for safe mucosal adjuvants and the adjuvant/immunopotentiating activity of conjugation. A summary of toxicology and regulatory issues will also be discussed, and the Finlay Adjuvant Platform is briefly summarized.

Immunization is one of the most successful and cost-effective health interventions ever. Immunization have been helping to reduce child mortality, improving maternal health and combating infectious diseases. In spite of its, undisputed past success and promising future, however, immunization remains an unfinished agenda because of them inadequate coverage. Several factors have been largely responsible of a difficulty to attain immunization coverage and have been recognized as a problems of current vaccines, such as: the number of dose, excessive use of parenteral route, a small number of adjuvants approve for use in human, higher reactogenicity and unavailability against intracellular pathogens, infected or altered cells and scanty feasibility to combined more than one antigen in the same formulation. For bacterial meningitis WHO estimates that 1.2 million cases occur annually and Neisseria meningitidis is the etiological agent in more than 40% of these cases although some meningococcal vaccines are available. To bear in mind these principals problems, a novel protocol for vaccination against N. meningitidis called Single Time Vaccination Strategy (SinTimVaS) is proposed. Using female BALB/c mice, we induce systemic and mucosal immune responses against N. meningitidis with only one parenteral and one mucosal dose at the same time, employing the Finlay Adjuvants derivate from N. meningitidis, AFPL1 and AFCo1, respectively. In conclusion, SinTimVaS could increase the vaccination coverage and reduce the time-cost of vaccine campaigns, adding the possibility to increase the herd immunity by mucosal specific response induction.

Meningococcal B strains accounts for some 72% and 28% of meningococcal diseases in infants and toddlers in Europe and the USA, respectively. Nevertheless, meningococcal diseases are rare in Cuba owing to the wide spread program on antimeningococcal vaccination in the country. Finlay Institute is one of the pioneering organizations in Neisseria Vaccinology mainly by its contribution to N. meningitidis serogroup B outer membrane-based bivalent vaccine, VA-MENGOC-BC™. This vaccine was given intramuscularly in more than 60 million doses corresponding 10.7 millions of them to Cuban young adults, children, and infants. However, most dangerous or commensally Neisseria strains enter and establish in the mucosa, where the secretory (S) IgA is the main specific guardian and is mainly induced by mucosal routes. However, few mucosal vaccines exist principally due to the absent of mucosal adjuvants. We develop a Finlay Adjuvant (AF) platform based in outer membrane vesicles (Proteoliposome, PL) and its derivate Cochleate (Co). AFPL1 derived from serogroup B N. meningitidis is a potent Th1/CTL driving parenteral adjuvant. AFCo1 is a potent mucosal adjuvant. Therefore, we sought to go deeper in the possible mucosal cross recognition between N. meningitidis serogroups and Neisseria species and explore a concurrent mucosal and parenteral immunization strategy (SinTimVaS) in order to develop suitable mucosal vaccines. Experiments were conducted in Balb/c or C57Bl6 mice with mucosal and systemic immunization using AFCo1 and AFPL1. Human sera and saliva were also analyzed for cross cognition. Mucosal cross recognition at SIgA level in human saliva between N. meningitidis serogroups B, A, C, Y, and W135 were observed. This SIgA cross recognition response was also observed between pathogenic (N. meningitidis serogroup B, N. gonorrhoeae) and non-pathogenic strains (N. flava, N. lactamica). The possible influence of meningococcal vaccination against Gonorrhea was also explored. A proprietary Single Time Vaccination Strategy combining simultaneous mucosal and parenteral doses was developed. N. meningitidis and N. gonorrhoeae show significant cross immune response, and mucosal immunization with AFCo1 to obtain immunity against both strains may be a useful strategy to combat both infections in humans. Single Time Vaccination Strategy could be important to increased human vaccination coverage and herd immunity protecting both systemic and mucosal environments.

The strawberry fruit flavor depends on its sugar, amino acid, and organic acid content. Up to now, the effect of nitric nutrition and irrigation systems on these compounds is not well characterized. The objective of this work was to identify and to quantify the carbohydrates, amino acids, and organic acids content in strawberries cultivated at different levels of nitric fertilization, under two irrigation systems. Nitrogen was applied as Ca(NO3)2 at concentrations of 0, 3, 9 and 20 mM in the irrigation water and drip and furrow irrigation systems were used. The carbohydrate and the amino acid content increased at 3 mM in drip system and 9 mM in the furrow system, compared with the unfertilized treatment, but did not increase further at 20 mM nitrogen. The organic acids content decreased as the nitrogen fertilization increased. Therefore, an excessive use of fertilizer and irrigation water does not enhance the content of the compounds related with the sensorial quality of the strawberry.

El sabor de la fresa está dado por el contenido de azúcares, aminoácidos y ácidos orgánicos en el fruto. En la actualidad se desconoce el efecto de la nutrición nítrica y el sistema de riego en cada uno de los compuestos saborizantes de la fresa. El objetivo de este trabajo fue identificar y cuantificar el contenido de carbohidratos, aminoácidos y ácidos orgánicos en la fresa sometida a distintos niveles de fertilización nítrica y a dos sistemas de riego. El N fue aplicado como Ca(NO3)2 a una dosis de 0, 3, 9 y 20 mM y se emplearon dos sistemas de riego: goteo y gravedad. El contenido de carbohidratos y aminoácidos se incrementó en los niveles de 3 mM para riego por goteo y 9 mM en gravedad, ambos respecto al tratamiento no fertilizado y fertilizado con 20 mM de N. El contenido de los ácidos orgánicos disminuyó su concentración al aumentar el nivel de fertilización nitrogenada. Así que el uso excesivo de fertilizante y agua no se justifica para aumentar el contenido de los compuestos relacionados con la calidad sensorial de la fresa.

One alternative application in the decomposition and destruction of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) by a silent plasma dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) has been successfully accomplished. For this purpose, we have designed and constructed two pairs of cells, of rectangular and circular geometries, 333.96 cm³ each cell, and a similar second pair of 62.25 cm³ each one. Resonant inverters for low (3.3 kHz) and high (100 kHz) frequencies were also designed and applied to these cells. The specification of the main physical parameters of each cell contemplates: i) a first order degradation ratio of the compound, and ii) air breakdown at atmospheric pressure as a function of the carrying gas. The power consumed by the cells during the discharges was computed both theoretically and experimentally by Manley's method. The equipment was applied to the degradation of toluene, which has been degraded by an oxidation process in air-oxygen and argon-oxygen gas mixtures at atmospheric pressure within the cells. The destruction efficiency was measured as a function of the initial concentration. When air is used as an oxidant, a clear formation of solid products on the walls of dielectric glass plates has been observed, such deposits being polymeric in nature. These deposits seem to be responsible for a decline in the degradation efficiency of the treated compounds.

Plasma immersion ion implantation (PIII) of stainless steels with nitrogen has been successfully used for surface hardening purposes. This process has been carried out inside a toroidal discharge chamber in a DC/RF plasma. The RF plasma was created by one antenna located inside the chamber, diametrically opposite to the DC electrode. The latter is polarized with 1 kV and then the discharge is controlled by varying the gas pressure before the RF signal is applied. The main plasma parameters were established by means of double electric probes yielding electron temperature values within 0.5-1.5 eV and density values within 1.5×10(15) to 4×10(15) m-3 for the DC case while 1.5-3.0 eV and 7×10(14) to 3×10(15) m-3 were reached with RF assisted DC. We present in this work the experimental results obtained from a PIII process applied to AISI 304 stainless steel plates. The outcome shows that the Vickers hardness has been incremented according to the gas pressure within the 1×10-1 to 1×10-3 mbar range. The treated plates were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and the results point to an increased percentage of nitrogen, around 20%. By means of x-ray diffractometry (XRD) the gamma expanded phase and compounds such as Fe3NiN, Ni4N, FeNiN and Fe3N were determined.